OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Alignment and Adversarial Robustness: Are More Human-Like Models More Secure?
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2025
Year: 2025

A small but growing body of work has shown that machine learning models which better align with human vision have also exhibited higher robustness to adversarial examples, raising the question: can human-like perception make models more secure? If true generally, such mechanisms would offer new avenues toward robustness. In this work, we conduct a large-scale empirical analysis to systematically investigate the relationship between representational alignment and adversarial robustness. We evaluate 114 models spanning diverse architectures and training paradigms, measuring their neural and behavioral alignment and engineering task performance across 105 benchmarks as well as their adversarial robustness via AutoAttack. Our findings reveal that while average alignment and robustness exhibit a weak overall correlation, specific alignment benchmarks serve as strong predictors of adversarial robustness, particularly those that measure selectivity toward texture or shape. These results suggest that different forms of alignment play distinct roles in model robustness, motivating further investigation into how alignment-driven approaches can be leveraged to build more secure and perceptually-grounded vision models.
Achieving Upper Bound Accuracy of Joint Training in Continual Learning
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2025
Year: 2025

Continual learning has been an active research area in machine learning, focusing on incrementally learning a sequence of tasks. A key challenge is catastrophic forgetting (CF), and most research efforts have been directed toward mitigating this issue. However, a significant gap remains between the accuracy achieved by state-of-the-art continual learning algorithms and the ideal or upper-bound accuracy achieved by training all tasks together jointly. This gap has hindered or even prevented the adoption of continual learning in applications, as accuracy is often of paramount importance. Recently, another challenge, termed inter-task class separation (ICS), was also identified, which spurred a theoretical study into principled approaches for solving continual learning. Further research has shown that by leveraging the theory and the power of large foundation models, it is now possible to achieve upper-bound accuracy, which has been empirically validated using both text and image classification datasets. Continual learning is now ready for real-life applications. This paper surveys the main research leading to this achievement, justifies the approach both intuitively and from neuroscience research, and discusses insights gained.
Faster search for tensor decomposition over finite fields
Venue: arXiv cs.CC 2025
Year: 2025

We present an $O^*(|\mathbb{F}|^{\min\left\{R,\ \sum_{d\ge 2} n_d\right\} + (R-n_0)(\sum_{d\ne 0} n_d)})$-time algorithm for determining whether the rank of a concise tensor $T\in\mathbb{F}^{n_0\times\dots\times n_{D-1}}$ is $\le R$, assuming $n_0\ge\dots\ge n_{D-1}$ and $R\ge n_0$. For 3-dimensional tensors, we have a second algorithm running in $O^*(|\mathbb{F}|^{n_0+n_2 + (R-n_0+1-r_*)(n_1+n_2)+r_*^2})$ time, where $r_*:=\left\lfloor\frac{R}{n_0}\right\rfloor+1$. Both algorithms use polynomial space and improve on our previous work, which achieved running time $O^*(|\mathbb{F}|^{n_0+(R-n_0)(\sum_d n_d)})$.
Solving the Cold Start Problem on One's Own as an End User via Preference Transfer
Venue: arXiv cs.IR 2025
Year: 2025

We propose a new approach that enables end users to directly solve the cold start problem by themselves. The cold start problem is a common issue in recommender systems, and many methods have been proposed to address the problem on the service provider's side. However, when the service provider does not take action, users are left with poor recommendations and no means to improve their experience. We propose an algorithm, Pretender, that allows end users to proactively solve the cold start problem on their own. Pretender does not require any special support from the service provider and can be deployed independently by users. We formulate the problem as minimizing the distance between the source and target distributions and optimize item selection from the target service accordingly. Furthermore, we establish theoretical guarantees for Pretender based on a discrete quadrature problem. We conduct experiments on real-world datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness of Pretender.
Note-Level Singing Melody Transcription for Time-Aligned Musical Score Generation
Venue: arXiv cs.SD 2025
Year: 2025

Automatic music transcription converts audio recordings into symbolic representations, facilitating music analysis, retrieval, and generation. A musical note is characterized by pitch, onset, and offset in an audio domain, whereas it is defined in terms of pitch and note value in a musical score domain. A time-aligned score, derived from timing information along with pitch and note value, allows matching a part of the score with the corresponding part of the music audio, enabling various applications. In this paper, we consider an extended version of the traditional note-level transcription task that recognizes onset, offset, and pitch, through including extraction of additional note value to generate a time-aligned score from an audio input. To address this new challenge, we propose an end-to-end framework that integrates recognition of the note value, pitch, and temporal information. This approach avoids error accumulation inherent in multi-stage methods and enhances accuracy through mutual reinforcement. Our framework employs tokenized representations specifically targeted for this task, through incorporating note value information. Furthermore, we introduce a pseudo-labeling technique to address a scarcity problem of annotated note value data. This technique produces approximate note value labels from existing datasets for the traditional note-level transcription. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed model in note-level transcription tasks when compared to existing state-of-the-art approaches. We also introduce new evaluation metrics that assess both temporal and note value aspects to demonstrate the robustness of the model. Moreover, qualitative assessments via visualized musical scores confirmed the effectiveness of our model in capturing the note values.
HopRAG: Multi-Hop Reasoning for Logic-Aware Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Venue: arXiv cs.IR 2025
Year: 2025

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems often struggle with imperfect retrieval, as traditional retrievers focus on lexical or semantic similarity rather than logical relevance. To address this, we propose \textbf{HopRAG}, a novel RAG framework that augments retrieval with logical reasoning through graph-structured knowledge exploration. During indexing, HopRAG constructs a passage graph, with text chunks as vertices and logical connections established via LLM-generated pseudo-queries as edges. During retrieval, it employs a \textit{retrieve-reason-prune} mechanism: starting with lexically or semantically similar passages, the system explores multi-hop neighbors guided by pseudo-queries and LLM reasoning to identify truly relevant ones. Experiments on multiple multi-hop benchmarks demonstrate that HopRAG's \textit{retrieve-reason-prune} mechanism can expand the retrieval scope based on logical connections and improve final answer quality.
Computational-Statistical Tradeoffs at the Next-Token Prediction Barrier: Autoregressive and Imitation Learning under Misspecification
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2025
Year: 2025

Next-token prediction with the logarithmic loss is a cornerstone of autoregressive sequence modeling, but, in practice, suffers from error amplification, where errors in the model compound and generation quality degrades as sequence length $H$ increases. From a theoretical perspective, this phenomenon should not appear in well-specified settings, and, indeed, a growing body of empirical work hypothesizes that misspecification, where the learner is not sufficiently expressive to represent the target distribution, may be the root cause. Under misspecification -- where the goal is to learn as well as the best-in-class model up to a multiplicative approximation factor $C\geq 1$ -- we confirm that $C$ indeed grows with $H$ for next-token prediction, lending theoretical support to this empirical hypothesis. We then ask whether this mode of error amplification is avoidable algorithmically, computationally, or information-theoretically, and uncover inherent computational-statistical tradeoffs. We show: (1) Information-theoretically, one can avoid error amplification and achieve $C=O(1)$. (2) Next-token prediction can be made robust so as to achieve $C=\tilde O(H)$, representing moderate error amplification, but this is an inherent barrier: any next-token prediction-style objective must suffer $C=Ω(H)$. (3) For the natural testbed of autoregressive linear models, no computationally efficient algorithm can achieve sub-polynomial approximation factor $C=e^{(\log H)^{1-Ω(1)}}$; however, at least for binary token spaces, one can smoothly trade compute for statistical power and improve on $C=Ω(H)$ in sub-exponential time. Our results have consequences in the more general setting of imitation learning, where the widely-used behavior cloning algorithm generalizes next-token prediction.
Boost, Disentangle, and Customize: A Robust System2-to-System1 Pipeline for Code Generation
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2025
Year: 2025

Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in various domains, particularly in system 1 tasks, yet the intricacies of their problem-solving mechanisms in system 2 tasks are not sufficiently explored. Recent research on System2-to-System1 methods surge, exploring the System 2 reasoning knowledge via inference-time computation and compressing the explored knowledge into System 1 process. In this paper, we focus on code generation, which is a representative System 2 task, and identify two primary challenges: (1) the complex hidden reasoning processes and (2) the heterogeneous data distributions that complicate the exploration and training of robust LLM solvers. To tackle these issues, we propose a novel BDC framework that explores insightful System 2 knowledge of LLMs using a MC-Tree-Of-Agents algorithm with mutual \textbf{B}oosting, \textbf{D}isentangles the heterogeneous training data for composable LoRA-experts, and obtain \textbf{C}ustomized problem solver for each data instance with an input-aware hypernetwork to weight over the LoRA-experts, offering effectiveness, flexibility, and robustness. This framework leverages multiple LLMs through mutual verification and boosting, integrated into a Monte-Carlo Tree Search process enhanced by reflection-based pruning and refinement. Additionally, we introduce the DisenLora algorithm, which clusters heterogeneous data to fine-tune LLMs into composable Lora experts, enabling the adaptive generation of customized problem solvers through an input-aware hypernetwork. This work lays the groundwork for advancing LLM capabilities in complex reasoning tasks, offering a novel System2-to-System1 solution.
SoK: Understanding Vulnerabilities in the Large Language Model Supply Chain
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2025
Year: 2025

Large Language Models (LLMs) transform artificial intelligence, driving advancements in natural language understanding, text generation, and autonomous systems. The increasing complexity of their development and deployment introduces significant security challenges, particularly within the LLM supply chain. However, existing research primarily focuses on content safety, such as adversarial attacks, jailbreaking, and backdoor attacks, while overlooking security vulnerabilities in the underlying software systems. To address this gap, this study systematically analyzes 529 vulnerabilities reported across 75 prominent projects spanning 13 lifecycle stages. The findings show that vulnerabilities are concentrated in the application (50.3%) and model (42.7%) layers, with improper resource control (45.7%) and improper neutralization (25.1%) identified as the leading root causes. Additionally, while 56.7% of the vulnerabilities have available fixes, 8% of these patches are ineffective, resulting in recurring vulnerabilities. This study underscores the challenges of securing the LLM ecosystem and provides actionable insights to guide future research and mitigation strategies.
GPU Memory Usage Optimization for Backward Propagation in Deep Network Training
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2025
Year: 2025

In modern Deep Learning, it has been a trend to design larger Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) for the execution of more complex tasks and better accuracy. On the other hand, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have become the standard method for most of computer vision tasks. However, the memory allocation for the intermediate data in convolution layers can cause severe memory pressure during model training. Many solutions have been proposed to resolve the problem. Besides hardware-dependent solutions, a general methodology rematerialization can reduce GPU memory usage by trading computation for memory efficiently. The idea is to select a set of intermediate results during the forward phase as checkpoints, and only save them in memory to reduce memory usage. The backward phase recomputes the intermediate data from the closest checkpoints in memory as needed. This recomputation increases execution time but saves memory by not storing all intermediate results in memory during the forward phase. In this paper, we will focus on efficiently finding the optimal checkpoint subset to achieve the least peak memory usage during the model training. We first describe the theoretical background of the training of a neural network using mathematical equations. We use these equations to identify all essential data required during both forward and backward phases to compute the gradient of weights of the model. We first identify the checkpoint selection problem and propose a dynamic programming algorithm with time complexity O(n3) to solve the problem of finding the optimal checkpoint subset. With extensive experiments, we formulate a more accurate description of the problem using our theoretical analysis and revise the objective function based on the tracing, and propose an O(n)-time algorithm for finding the optimal checkpoint subset.
Understanding Generalization in Transformers: Error Bounds and Training Dynamics Under Benign and Harmful Overfitting
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2025
Year: 2025

Transformers serve as the foundational architecture for many successful large-scale models, demonstrating the ability to overfit the training data while maintaining strong generalization on unseen data, a phenomenon known as benign overfitting. However, research on how the training dynamics influence error bounds within the context of benign overfitting has been limited. This paper addresses this gap by developing a generalization theory for a two-layer transformer with labeled flip noise. Specifically, we present generalization error bounds for both benign and harmful overfitting under varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), where the training dynamics are categorized into three distinct stages, each with its corresponding error bounds. Additionally, we conduct extensive experiments to identify key factors that influence test errors in transformers. Our experimental results align closely with the theoretical predictions, validating our findings.
Memory-updated-based Framework for 100% Reliable Flexible Flat Cables Insertion
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2025
Year: 2025

Automatic assembly lines have increasingly replaced human labor in various tasks; however, the automation of Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) insertion remains unrealized due to its high requirement for effective feedback and dynamic operation, limiting approximately 11% of global industrial capacity. Despite lots of approaches, like vision-based tactile sensors and reinforcement learning, having been proposed, the implementation of human-like high-reliable insertion (i.e., with a 100% success rate in completed insertion) remains a big challenge. Drawing inspiration from human behavior in FFC insertion, which involves sensing three-dimensional forces, translating them into physical concepts, and continuously improving estimates, we propose a novel framework. This framework includes a sensing module for collecting three-dimensional tactile data, a perception module for interpreting this data into meaningful physical signals, and a memory module based on Bayesian theory for reliability estimation and control. This strategy enables the robot to accurately assess its physical state and generate reliable status estimations and corrective actions. Experimental results demonstrate that the robot using this framework can detect alignment errors of 0.5 mm with an accuracy of 97.92% and then achieve a 100% success rate in all completed tests after a few iterations. This work addresses the challenges of unreliable perception and control in complex insertion tasks, highlighting the path toward the development of fully automated production lines.
Mentoring Software in Education and Its Impact on Teacher Development: An Integrative Literature Review
Venue: arXiv cs.CY 2025
Year: 2025

Mentoring software is a pivotal innovation in addressing critical challenges in teacher development within educational institutions. This study explores the transformative potential of digital mentoring platforms, evaluating their impact on enhancing traditional mentoring practices through scalable, data-driven, and accessible frameworks. The research synthesizes findings from existing literature to assess the effectiveness of key features, including structured goal setting, progress monitoring, and advanced analytics, in improving teacher satisfaction, retention, and professional growth. Using an integrative literature review approach, this study identifies both the advantages and barriers to implementing mentoring software in education. Financial constraints, limited institutional support, and data privacy concerns remain significant challenges, necessitating strategic interventions. Drawing insights from successful applications in healthcare and corporate sectors, the review highlights adaptive strategies such as leveraging open-source tools, cross-sector collaborations, and integrating mentoring software with existing professional development frameworks. The research emphasizes the necessity of integrating digital mentoring tools with institutional objectives to create enduring support systems for teacher development. Mentoring software not only enhances traditional mentorship but also facilitates broader professional networks that contribute to collective knowledge sharing.
New Constant Dimension Codes From the Inserting Mixed Dimension Construction and Multilevel Construction
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2025
Year: 2025

Constant dimension codes (CDCs) are essential for error correction in random network coding. A fundamental problem of CDCs is to determine their maximal possible size for given parameters. Inserting construction and multilevel construction are two effective techniques for constructing CDCs. We first provide a sufficient condition for a subspace to be added to the code from the mixed dimension construction in Lao et al. (IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 69(7): 4333-4344, 2023). By appropriately combining matrix blocks from small CDCs and rank-metric codes, we introduce three inserting constructions based on the mixed dimension construction. Furthermore, the mixed dimension construction and these inserting constructions are improved by the multilevel construction that is based on lifting rank-restricted Ferrers diagram rank-metric codes. Our constructions yield some new lower bounds for CDCs, which are superior to the previously best-known ones.
SafeEraser: Enhancing Safety in Multimodal Large Language Models through Multimodal Machine Unlearning
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2025
Year: 2025

As Multimodal Large Language Models (MLLMs) develop, their potential security issues have become increasingly prominent. Machine Unlearning (MU), as an effective strategy for forgetting specific knowledge in training data, has been widely used in privacy protection. However, MU for safety in MLLM has yet to be fully explored. To address this issue, we propose SAFEERASER, a safety unlearning benchmark for MLLMs, consisting of 3,000 images and 28.8K VQA pairs. We comprehensively evaluate unlearning methods from two perspectives: forget quality and model utility. Our findings show that existing MU methods struggle to maintain model performance while implementing the forget operation and often suffer from over-forgetting. Hence, we introduce Prompt Decouple (PD) Loss to alleviate over-forgetting through decouple prompt during unlearning process. To quantitatively measure over-forgetting mitigated by PD Loss, we propose a new metric called Safe Answer Refusal Rate (SARR). Experimental results demonstrate that combining PD Loss with existing unlearning methods can effectively prevent over-forgetting and achieve a decrease of 79.5% in the SARR metric of LLaVA-7B and LLaVA-13B, while maintaining forget quality and model utility. Our code and dataset will be released upon acceptance. Warning: This paper contains examples of harmful language and images, and reader discretion is recommended.
Inference-Time Computations for LLM Reasoning and Planning: A Benchmark and Insights
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2025
Year: 2025

We examine the reasoning and planning capabilities of large language models (LLMs) in solving complex tasks. Recent advances in inference-time techniques demonstrate the potential to enhance LLM reasoning without additional training by exploring intermediate steps during inference. Notably, OpenAI's o1 model shows promising performance through its novel use of multi-step reasoning and verification. Here, we explore how scaling inference-time techniques can improve reasoning and planning, focusing on understanding the tradeoff between computational cost and performance. To this end, we construct a comprehensive benchmark, known as Sys2Bench, and perform extensive experiments evaluating existing inference-time techniques on eleven diverse tasks across five categories, including arithmetic reasoning, logical reasoning, common sense reasoning, algorithmic reasoning, and planning. Our findings indicate that simply scaling inference-time computation has limitations, as no single inference-time technique consistently performs well across all reasoning and planning tasks.
AnimAlte:Designing AI-Infused Cartoon Videos to Improve Preschoolers' Language Learning with Family Engagement at Home
Venue: arXiv cs.HC 2025
Year: 2025

Cartoon videos have proven to be effective in learning vocabulary to preschool children.However, we have little knowledge about integrating AI into cartoon videos to provide systematic, multimodal vocabulary learning support. This late-breaking work present \name{}, an AI-powered cartoon video system that enables real-time Q\&A, vocabulary review, and contextual learning. Preliminary findings contextualized how families interact with \name{} to support vocabulary learning. Parents appreciated the system for its personalized, engaging experiences, fostering collaboration, and encouraging self-reflection on parenting. This study offers valuable design implications for informing future video systems to support vocabulary learning.